Beware The Fake Court Notices Hitting Washington Residents

Washington residents are being notified by email and text messages that they have a notice to appear in court to answer a parking/toll violation.

The notice includes a threat of losing your driver's license if you fail to respond.

Perhaps you have received one of the fake but realistic-looking notices like the one depicted below. It shows the official-looking state seal, a case and RCW number, and the address for King County District Court's Seattle office.

The address is one of the few details the scammer(s) got right. The rest of the bogus notice is quite amusing. The court clerk and the judge listed on the notice both have the same name: John Smith. What are the odds?

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Every notice being sent out has the same case number. The one I received matches the identical-looking alert that the Grant County Sheriff's Department and the King County District Court itself show on their scam warnings. That's odd that the scammers didn't make them more unique. And there is no reference to your vehicle or the location of the violation. Maybe I am giving them too much credit when it comes to being clever.

Here is the scam notice and the dangerous QR Code at the bottom

The scammer is hoping you'll be scared into scanning the QR code to settle the matter, but that is how you could become the subject of identity theft, so beware.

Anyone receiving one of the scam attempts should delete the message immediately

Law enforcement agencies do not send tickets via text or email and don't accept payment with gift cards.

The King County District Court has posted this warning (below) on their website and it includes a link to verify if you do have an outstanding case

FRAUD ALERT – Be aware of potential fraudulent activity regarding courts. Examples include calls from scammers that spoof District Court phone numbers or text or email messages that say you must appear in court the next day for unpaid vehicle toll violations or must otherwise click a link to “Pay Now” or your driver’s license will be cancelled. To see if you have a ticket in King County District Court, visit our Case Access Resources webpage. You also can Contact Us with questions.